50 t h e a n n a l s o f k i n g t’a e j o
taxes because they were granted to officials as stipends. Since the taxes
levied on the people are not even, and the military provisions insufficient,
the farmland of all the districts in this province, including Hwaryŏng, should
be taxed based on field size, and that will bring benefits to both individuals
and the local government.
“1. It is hard to ensure security during a crisis if soldiers and the people
have no organization to belong to. For that reason, the former king [Kongmin]
issued a royal decree in the Pyŏngsin year (1356). In the decree, he instructed
that three families (ka) constitute one household (ho), and that the indi-
vidual households be organized into groups of one hundred (paekho), which
will form a military unit in case of emergency. The head of a hundred
households, in turn, is to be assigned to the provincial military division, and
he puts three families on duty during peacetime, mobilizes all the house-
holds under his command during a crisis, and musters all adult males in
addition to the hundred households during emergencies. That was really a
good law. In recent years, however, it was abolished, and no units remain for
the people to belong to. As a result, mobilizing troops in a crisis is difficult
because the people are scattered, or they run away to hide in the mountains.
Recent droughts and floods have put the people under even more stress. Our
enemies take this opportunity to entice our people with money and grain or
secretly cross the border and take the people away after plundering their
villages. Poor people on the borders are inconsistent in their actions. Besides,
their loyalties are mixed, and they pursue their own interests by watching
both sides. Thus, it is hard to hold them under control.
“So I beseech Your Majesty to reinstate the royal decree of the Pyŏngsin
year and reestablish the military recruiting system based on households so
that people can have a sense of belonging.
“1. The welfare of the people depends on the magistrate, and courage or
cowardice on the commanding general. Those who now serve as local mag-
istrates gained their positions through their alliance with the powerful fam-
ilies. Hence, they are negligent in their duty. The soldiers are ill provided
with what they need, and the people experience hardship in maintaining
their livelihoods. The number of households decreases, and the state ware-
houses are empty. Therefore, I sincerely request that Your Majesty send
men of integrity and diligence as local magistrates and let them govern the
people with benevolence. Let them take care of widows, widowers, and
others left alone. I also request that Your Majesty select outstanding gen-
erals and let them train troops to defend the country.”